Castle Neuschwanstein, a neo-Gothic revival palace high atop a rocky outcrop in the Bavarian mountains near Fussen, Germany, is perhaps the most famous castle in the world. The building was started in1869 by King Ludwig II, and completed enough by 1884 for the king to move in. The only completed rooms were the king's private lodging and servants' quarters. The castle was intended to serve Ludwig II as a living theatrical setting, not unlike the operatic settings of his friend-composer Richard Wagner. Ludwig II lived in the castle only 172 days before mysteriously drowning in Lake Starnberg, near Munich, on June 13, 1886. A visit to this castle is featured on all tours to the region.

Neuschwanstein was no ordinary castle. In 1944 when Adolph Hitler realized his dream for a 1,000 year-old Reich was soon to crumble, he needed places to store the art he had stolen from all the museums of Europe. The secret rooms, hidden passageways, and dungeons of Neuschwanstein were fitting places for the art he so admired. He believed no Allied army would bomb such a magnificent structure. He was right!

The cache at Castle Neuschwanstein consisted of 6,000 items that included fine paintings, sculpture, archeological relics, antique tapestries, furniture and oriental carpets. Most of it was in original crates. All rooms and hallways on the first three floors were stuffed with treasures. After the war, Allied personnel itemized and documented all the art, loaded it on a special 22-car train, and shipped it off to Paris. The 634 crates of high-value loot arrived 2 days later, back where it belonged.

For more information on stolen Nazi art treasures, you can view The Rape of Europe, shown on PBS. When you make a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle on a GrandTour you can imagine the millions of dollars of art that once had a secret home inside.